Dear Esther
by sousaphonesaxophone
Summary: Esther didn't want to be a demon, nor did she know how. At one time, she was kind human being, but after being turned into a demon against her will, she knew she had to try and survive her afterlife. With help from Sebastian, perhaps she could get used to her demonic self. Sebastian x OC
1. His Maid, Moving In

**A/N - Hello, all! I've been away from this site for years, and I've desperately wanted to come back and write! This fic is pretty much a creative outlet for me, so I'm sure this will be a wonderful fic, despite it being my first in about 5 years. I know some people aren't a fan of OCs, but I hope you'll stick around anyway! Enjoy, everyone! **

The scent was a mix of anger, resent, and repressed innocence. Esther's stomach was empty, and her ordinarily gentle nature as a demon was getting her no closer to feeding her apatite. As she walked along through the chilled forest, she knew she grew closer to her next meal: The soul of some unsuspecting human.

"This isn't how I wanted my afterlife to be," she thought, noticing a large mansion protruding through the horizon of the trees. She knew it must be where the smell of her dinner was coming from. "I don't want to eat anyone's soul. I never want to harm anyone," Despite the all-you-can-eat souls in Hell, Esther had been doing whatever she could to stay on Earth. Recently, however, her energy had been running desperately low, and she began hunting the souls she knew, deep down, she could never devour. As she emerged from the shadows, she glanced up at the lit windows of the mansion. Just a few windows were lit, meaning someone was most likely about to lie down for, what Esther would hopefully make, their last slumber.

"O-okay," she stuttered, nervously, "it smells like a child, and children provide quite a bit of energy," She looked down, a pang of pain in her still heart sending signals to cry up to her crimson eyes. Not a tear shed. Demons don't cry. She was conflicted between taking a sweet child and possibly starving. Was that something that could happen to her? "How could I even do it? Should I pretend to be a monster, or take the soul peacefully in the child's sleep?" What _would_ happen if she ran out of energy? It's not like she could die. As she debated starving herself to possible death, the sky let out a sudden roar, then rain poured down.

The opportunity was too great for her not to take. The nighttime mist around her was replaced with a dark fog that wisped her long, wavy black hair into a flowered hat and wove a navy and white lace gown out of nothing. She stepped toward the front porch, taking her time and making sure the rain soaked her well. She wasn't going to pretend to be a monster, she was going to pretend to be a damsel in distress.

She grabbed the knocker and beat it hard against the wooden door. No more than a couple knocks in, the door slowly creaked open. The man behind it wore a fine suit and carried a lantern. "My Lady," the man said in charming yet devilish voice, "What brings you to this manor at such an hour?"

"I was lost in the woods, good sir, and it began to rain," she bluffed, "May I please seek shelter in your manor?"

The man shot her a suspicious look, as many humans would have done in the same situation. After a few seconds, he widened the opening in the door. "Right this way, My Lady," he said with a bow. As she stepped into the manor, he introduced himself. "My name is Sebastian Michaelis, the head butler of Phantomhive Manor,"

"My name is Esther James, very pleased to meet you," she curtsied.

Sebastian lead her through the manor and into an extravagant and inviting guest bedroom. She could smell the soul not far away, and knew getting to it should be no problem. However, she smelled only four souls in the entire mansion, and none of them seemed to be coming from Sebastian. Writing it off as being fairly new to being a demon, she sat on the couch across from the cracking fireplace. Warmth wasn't anything a demon necessarily needed, especially since they live in such a...warm climate; however, the warmth from a fireplace was a special luxury Esther had dearly missed. Lost in the glow of the fire, she hadn't noticed Sebastian making his way towards her. He kneeled in front of her.

"It may not be as warm as you're used to where you come from, but it's still rather nice from time to time," he said looking into her eyes. She noticed the familiarity of the color of his eyes. It was the color of her own. "What business do you have here, my dear?"

"I told you already," Esther defended, "I was lost, and I really needed shelter from the downpour..."

"Don't play ignorant with me," Sebastian interrupted, irritated yet patient, " I know what you are. It's not hard to recognize my own kind. I surely hope you don't intend on consuming my young master's soul. It's been promised to me, and_ I_ intend to protect what's mine." His eyes flared up with a touch of demonic glow, then simmered back down to normal. "Now, dear Esther, what is it you're here for?"

Sebastian was a bit cold, yet still far more kind than most demons she had met, so she told him her predicament. She told him how she didn't want to hurt anyone, but she was too hungry to ignore it any longer. She told him how staying on Earth and starving was better to her than going back down to her new hellish home and having a river of souls to choose from. Mostly, she told him how she was once human expecting to live out her eternity in paradise, but instead, became a demon against her will.

"My, my, that is a problem. You're awfully kind for a demon." he said with a mischievous smile. He stood, and began to leave the room. "Kind demons never make it very long,"

"WAIT!" Esther shouted as Sebastian was about to close the door behind him. He turned to look at her. The fear of what could happen to her if she didn't adapt to her demonic self constantly lingered in her mind. "What if I stay here? Will you teach me what I need to do to survive?"

"How truly..._pathetic_," He said with a smirk, "However, I suppose I could stand another competent hand around here. The other servants couldn't do their jobs if their lives depended on it; however, they're all here for a reason, so you mustn't take any of them. Their souls are off limits." He turned again and began to leave the room. "Stay if you wish, but you _will_ earn your stay." With that, Sebastian blew out his lantern and closed the door, leaving Esther with the flame of her new home. It was much lovelier than the searing flames of Hell.

**A/N- I have to admit, it was a little rough around the edges, but I have big plans for this fic. I hope you all enjoyed it and will stick around! Talk to you all soon!**


	2. His Maid, Cooking

**A/N- Hey, all! This was a lot better recieved than I thought it would be! Since this is a hobby for me, I do hope you'll all be patient with me if I can't get content out as often as you guys would like. I have a job, college, and other things to juggle. Thank all of you for your support! Enjoy the new chapter!**

"First thing's first," Sebastian said, dropping a large whole chicken on the counter, "we need to prepare dinner for the Young Lord," Esther was as exhausted as a demon could be, meaning more so that she wasn't prepared for the amount of work that Slave-driver Ciel threw at her. She stood mop-in-hand gaping at the enormous chicken she and Sebastian would be preparing. It seemed as if they'd only just cleaned up lunch.

"Come now, Dear Esther, don't tell me you're fatigued already? We can't dally. There's no room for such mortal feelings at this manor." Sebastian was furiously deplucking the chicken at superhuman speed. Once he had plucked the last feather, he stopped abruptly and turned around.

"Bard. I thought I told you I would handle the cooking tonight. Please handle the preparation of the..."

"So it _is _true!" Bard boomed, grinning widely and walking into the kitchen, "There _is _a new servant here! Good to meet ya, ma'am! I'm Baldroy. Please call me Baldo or Bard, whichever you prefer," He grabbed her hand firmly and shook it up and down. "If ya ever need anything in the kitchen, I'm always available to help ya!"

"Yes, available to burn the manor down," Sebastian snapped "Please get moving, Bard, we're cutting it close as it is."

"Yes, Sir!" Bard said, jumping to attention and saluting Sebastian. He gave a wink to Esther and headed out the door. Sebastian sighed heavily and squeezed his temples. "Please excuse him, My Lady. The servants here are utterly useless. It can't really be helped, they're only human." He clapped his hands together suddenly. "Well, this bird won't gut itself!" He picked it up but the legs and handed it to Esther. "My Lady, would you do the honors while I prepare the chestnut stuffing?" He stood there smiling as if gutting a chicken was the most wonderful job in the world, and while Esther was initially repulsed, there was something convincing and charming about his expression that made it hard to say no.

"But I've never done this before," She said, inspecting the poultry, "I'm not even sure I have it in me to cut the poor thing open," Sebastian turned and looked at her in confusion. How could she not have it in her? She was a demon, and gutting chickens is exactly the kind of thing a demon is supposed to want to do.

"Not have it in you?" Sebastian responded in a surprised tone, "My Dear, do you have any idea how utterly deplorable you sound as a demon right now?"

"I'm not deplorable!" She responded, eyeing the chicken uneasily. Suddenly gathering courage, she demanded the knife beside Sebastian on the counter. Sebastian smirked and gently handed it to her. "Don't cut yourself," he said playfully. With a deep breath, Esther lifted the knife and plunged it into the bird. She quickly cut the bird open and dropped the knife on the counter. she quickly backed away from her handiwork.

"There!" She proclaimed, eyes clenched shut. Noticing silence from Sebastian, she opened her eyes. He was looking at her with mild concern. She looked down and noticed a gaping wound on her hand.

"I told you not to do that." Sebastian said matter-of-factly. In one graceful motion, he quickly scooped out the organs of the chicken, stuffed it, put it in the oven, and went to Esther. For a moment, she was shocked about the wound and let out as small yelp. Then she noticed something strange about the cut.

"Sebastian...it doesn't hurt at all..." Almost as soon as this was said, she heard a sizzle come from her cut. The blood that covered her hand sizzled away like water in a pan, and her flesh stitched itself together in a matter of instants. Noticing her surprise, Sebastian chimed in.

"You really haven't been at this long, have you?"

"Not at all. Long enough to get desperately hungry and finally go searching for souls to eat." She slid down against the counter and on to the floor, then buried her head in her knees. Sebastian slowly walked over and squatted in front of her. "You're a bit of an odd demon, aren't you?"

"I'm not a demon, Sebastian. At least, I didn't use to be..." Esther wrapped her arms tighter around her knees and felt a frustrating lack of tears welling up in her eyes.

"And just what do you mean by that?" Sebastian inquired.

"I was human not long ago..." Sebastian was intrigued upon hearing this, and fully sat down in front of her.

"I was an ordinary girl not long ago. I've lost track of just_ how _long ago, but it can't have been long. There was a man who was very much in love with me, but the man was strange and off-putting. I didn't know until later that he was a Satanist. Eventually, however, he got sick. He couldn't bear to be in a world without me in it, so he made a deal with the Devil that I go to Hell with him. It worked, but there's always a catch to the Devil's deals..."

"So you became a demon instead of your soul just going down there?" Sebastian questioned thoughtfully.

"Yes, and I have no idea why. I just wish I knew."

Sebastian stood up once more and made his way to the oven. "The chicken looks about ready. The Young Master requests I do things on the same pace as a human," he took the chicken out of the oven, "but that doesn't necessarily mean I can't cheat just a little when Bard is out of the kitchen." He filled the beautiful golden brown bird with his chestnut stuffing and garnished the entree with parsley and vegetables. He then carried the meal over to the counter in front of Esther.

"Would you like me to serve this to the Young Master?" She asked.

"No, Dear Esther, that one is yours," He said, pulling another chicken out of the oven. He began garnishing the second bird with similar ingredients. She eyed the delectable looking meal and took a bite of a carrot surrounding the chicken. It tasted awful, like a mix of ash and dust. "Sebastian, I'm confused," she said, putting down her fork.

"We may not be able to taste things quite like humans _or_ get many nutrients out of it," Sebastian explained, picking up the serving plate of chicken, "but it's fairly satisfying to curb the appetite. I suppose it's like a human chewing gum." Sebastian began out the door to serve the Young Master his dinner. "I do hope you feel a bit more comfortable after eating it, although eating may not be the same way you remember it." And with that, Sebastian flashed his first genuine smile to her.

Esther picked up the fork and began eating. While it wasn't as good as she remembered, Sebastian had made it just for her, and she was grateful.

I


	3. My Maid

**A/N - Hi, all! I suppose all I have to say is...prepare for the cute in this chapter! Also, thank you guys so much for all the support. You're all wonderful, and I appreciate each and every one of you! Now, please enjoy the chapter! **

"GUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

I hurried to the main entrance to see what the disturbance was, yet somehow I already knew. The servants of the manor left something to be desired, yet I was still foolish enough to allow a fourth to live with us. All that does is give me more work.

"What is it this time, Mei Rin?" I massaged my temples with my fingers and tried to control my demonic rage.

"I..."

"I can see that," I interrupted harshly. Again, she had mistaken the wood polish for shoe polish, and _again_, she had turned the rails of the main staircase as black as my nonexistent soul. Before I was tempted to tear her to shreds, I was stopped by _her_.

"I've got it, Sebastian!" Dear Esther raced in draped in her fairly new main uniform, cloth in hand. "Don't be sad, Mei Rin, just _do_ try to be more careful" She began scrubbing, and seeing that the shoe polish was being removed, I was satisfied.

As I walked down the corridor, I stopped to take a look at my pocket watch. I was nearly behind schedule.

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

I hurried to the lawn to see what the disturbance was, yet somehow I already knew. There stood Finny amongst a forest of brand new weeds.

"I thought they were flowers, honestly! So, I gave them the plant food I gave the others!" Finny explained, wiping a tear from his eye.

"Oh honestly!" I snapped.

"I've got it, Sebastian!" Once again, dear Esther pounced out the door with a book and a pair of gloves. "Here, Finny. This is a book all about weeds and how to identify them. You should find it helpful in addition to your other books." She began pulling, and seeing that the weed problem was being solved, I was satisfied.

I decided to go polish the bookshelves in the library one last time before guests arrived for dinner that night. I looked at my pocket watch and was already off schedule. I sighed and kept walking.

BOOM!

I hurried to the kitchen to see what the disturbance was, yet somehow I already knew. When I got there, however, I saw Bard cleaning up some mess and dear Esther in front of the stove.

"Hello, Sebastian!" She smiled and continued her cooking. She had settled the situation before I had even gotten there. Seeing that dinner was taken care of, I looked at my pocket watch. Because of Esther, I was back on schedule. Seeing dear Esther was actually a capable maid, I walked into the kitchen and began cooking with her, satisfied.

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The Young Master has a cold. I've told him repeatedly that he needs to take better care of himself. After all, if something were to happen to him, I will have completely wasted my time and I will have to trudge back to Hell with just a snack in my belly. I was walking down the hall on the way to prepare the Young Master for bed when I heard a soft woman's voice in his chamber.

"My mother made this for me when I was ill. It's the most wonderful comfort food, Master."

When I peered in the door, I saw her place a steaming bowl of chicken soup in front of my Master.

"What is this gruel?" My young master replied, looking distastefully into his soup, "I can't be expected to eat this peasant food." Dear Esther only smiled tenderly at this. "Well, I can't force you to eat it; I can only assure you'll feel much better if you do." She took her small hand and ran it through his hair in a loving, motherly manner. I saw the Young Master relax, obviously enjoying the sensation. The Young Master reluctantly picked up a spoonful and brought it to his mouth. After blowing on in a few times, he finally took his first bite. He sat back for a moment, pondered, then spooned up another bite.

"I suppose this peasant food isn't so bad after all, Esther. Thank you."

"My pleasure, Master," she replied with a curtsy. She turned around and walked out of the door. After she had cracked the door until it nearly closed, I stepped out in front of her. "Food before bed?" I criticized, "He'll surely get nightmares,"

"Nightmares, Sebastian?" She smiled playfully and put her hands on her hips, "The poor boy lives a nightmare. Let him have his simple pleasures," The pair of us peeked into the Young Master's chamber, and to my surprise, the he was eagerly slurping up every last bite of the soup. He sat the soup aside once finished, he blew out his lantern, and instantly seeped into a deep, peaceful sleep.

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It was 3:33am. Most people think this is the time for demons to come out, and if they also thought the demons come out to clean the less visited rooms in mansions, they'd be correct. As a walked toward the music room where the master has his occasional violin lessons, I heard the sound of the master piano playing Piano Sonata No. 14 - Moonlight Sonata Mvt. 1. This piece has always been particularly pleasing to me. I've always appreciated music, as it's one of the few things humans can create than humans and divine beings alike can enjoy. I've lived many years, and I've heard my fair share of beautiful music; however, this performance of Moonlight Sonata had more passion and feeling than I'd ever heard. As I got to the room, I saw dear Esther, eyes closed, tapping away at the keys. She swayed with the music with grace and rhythm. I quietly stepped into the room.

"You play beautifully," I interrupted. Startled, she missed a note and whipped around. "Oh, Sebastian," she relaxed, "you frightened me." She scooted over and patted the seat beside her. "I learned to play when I was a little girl. I've always loved music and it's inner workings. I never was quite satisfied listening to music instead of creating it with my own hands." She cracked her knuckles and began right where she left off. Once she began the second movement, I decided to join in. The first movement is slow and sweet, yet very somber; the second movement takes a furious and energizing twist on the first. As our fingers frantically raced across the keyboard, our notes danced and mingled like a couple dancing across the sand by a moonlit lake. Once the piece ended, she looked up at me.

"Most people don't approve of a lady performing music, you know, " she said, tucking a curl of raven hair behind her ear, "you don't find it unbecoming?" I looked at her for a few moments studying her face, flushed from the energy put into her performance. "Not at all, My Lady," I couldn't help but notice her face flush further upon hearing this.

"Not at all."

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While there are many duties of a Phantomhive butler, and despite my days being hectic, I always make time for Earth's most beautiful and mysterious creatures. The Young Master is allergic to cats, and therefore, we cannot keep them in the manor. Despite this, I quite enjoy feeding the local strays that often gather behind the manor. Today, I prepared their meals as usual and headed outside. To my surprise, there was dear Esther, setting a bowl of food down and scratching one of my precious furballs under his chin. She didn't seem to notice me, so instead of stepping out on the porch, I watched stealthily. She knelt down by a small white kitten, picked her up, and held her to her chest. As she sat there, the cats were climbing on her in the attempt to acquire a snuggle or two of their own. As she held them in her small arms, I realized the jealousy I felt. Not that I was jealous of her holding my strays, but more that my strays were holding dear Esther. My dear Esther. If my cats love her, perhaps I do too.


	4. His Maid, Deceased

**A/N: Hey guys! I just got back from vacation and am finally back to writing! I've been pretty stressed out lately, and while it didn't clear my head as much as I hoped it would, it did fill my head with great ideas for the story! I hope you all enjoy the new chapter, and I can't thank you all enough for reading. **

"What is the meaning of this, Sebastian?"

Sebastian stood with his head high. The evidence was in front of Ciel as clear as day, and there was no way for Sebastian to talk his way out of it.

_**LADY ESTHER JAMES DIES MYSTERIOUSLY IN SLEEP WITH NO PREVIOUSLY KNOWN HEALTH CONDITIONS - SEE PG. 8 FOR FULL STORY**_

Beside the article Ciel had found in the paper, he had also lain out an obituary and pictures.

"Sebastian, do you care to explain why Esther is in the paper's _obituary_?" Sebastian looked down at the papers in front of him. She was certainly a loved lass, the broken faces of Lady Esther's mother, father, and little brother showed that very clearly. 'Lady Esther James was found last week in her home in Edinburg. When she had slept hours past breakfast, her mother decided to check in on her only to find she had passed away mysteriously in her sleep. Lady Esther had no previously known health conditions.' She looked exactly as she did in death, just livelier and healthier looking. To Sebastian, she looked more lovely as a demon. Humans are unappealing looking creatures.

"Well, Sebastian?"

"I needed help, My Lord," Sebastian said finally, "She's an old friend of mine, and I knew I could count on her to get the work done."

"You've never had a problem before."

"You've become increasingly demanding...My Lord." Sebastian hesitated with a hint of annoyance. He didn't know why he was getting so defensive over Lady Esther. It would have been much easier for him to just get rid of her. She was just too helpless of a demon to cast her out. She was one of his own, and though he generally hated his own kind, she was different. She didn't deserve to be with the rest of them.

Ciel sat back in his chair and pondered, and the tension in the air could have been cut with a butter knife.

"Look," he said finally, "I don't care for the idea of hiding another one of you lot. That being said, Esther is most definitely a competent servant. If you truly think it's needed, we can keep her on board." Sebastian raised a hand to his chest, about to bow. "However," Ciel interrupted, "you have to keep an eye on her. No funny business, Sebastian, I mean it. I don't need any more attention drawn to me. That's an order."

Again, Sebastian brought a hand to his chest and completed his bow. "Yes, My Lord." Sebastian grabbed the papers and pictures and rolled them up. As he turned and walked away, Ciel teased, "If I can't let you keep a cat in the manor, I can at least let you keep a lady."

As Sebastian walked out the door and closed it, he felt a powerful surge of dislike rise up.

"Brat."

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Sebastian opened the door to Mei Rin and Esther's quarters. They were sitting on their beds looking like they were having a rather interesting chat.

"Excuse me, Mei Rin, but may I borrow Miss Esther for a moment?" They both looked at him curiously.

"Of course, Sebastian!" Esther replied. She stood up and began walking toward him, "I'll be back in a few minutes, Mei Rin," With that, they walked out, and Sebastian made sure the door was fully closed.

"The Young Master found this today," he said handing her the papers. "Not to worry, he says he'll still let you stay here with us." Esther took the papers and opened them up. An obvious spark of sadness filled her eyes as she read. "My obituary..." She looked it over a few more times. "So...I died, then."

"I suppose so." Sebastian said with a hint of sympathy. For some reason, her sadness made him feel sad as well. Esther lowered the papers and looked up at him. "I always assumed my body came with me when I became a demon. I don't know." She lowered her head and Sebastian noticed she looked like humans do when they're about to cry. No tears came out though. Demons can't cry. "My mother must be so upset. My little brother too. He needed me." She said finally.

"They'll be alright, My Lady."

"You're right Sebastian." She frowned, then glanced over the back page of the paper. "Oh my..._Sebastian_!" She frantically flung the papers into his face, "_It's him_! He's alive!"

Sebastian grabbed the papers and looked at them. It was an interview from a man who knew Esther. Beside the article was a picture of what he assumed was the man. He was lying in a hospital bed. He looked very sickly, but he was smiling brightly, almost as if he has accomplished something. It said his name was Carter Jacobson, and he had known Esther since childhood. He had been battling Tuberculosis for a while, but he 'fought so hard to stay alive for her.' He claimed to be very close to Esther, and was 'devastated by her untimely death.'

"No!" Esther exclaimed, "We were _not_ close! This is his fault, he _did_ this to me!" Her legs collapsed under her, and she sat on the floor, face buried in her hands. Sebastian was surprised by her outburst. She was always so cheerful and calm, but now, she was on the floor, hysterical.

Suddenly, Sebastian scooped her up into his long arms and held her there. He couldn't stand seeing her so unhappy. Esther opened her eyes and looked over Sebastian's shoulder. His soft black hair tickled her face. He was comfortable, and he held her tight. Despite her comfort, she couldn't help but notice it wasn't warm like hugs she'd had in life. While it may not have been warm, it was one of the most wonderful embraces she'd ever experienced. For the first time since she'd been turned, she felt safe. He held her tighter for a moment, then let her go. He put a hand on her face and looked straight into her eyes. His eyes were a Jasper red, and had a slight glow like an ember about to be extinguished.

"That's him?" He asked with dead, seriousness.

"Yes?" Esther responded confused.

"Excuse me." For a moment, his Jasper eyes sizzled into a demonic purple. He stood up with a blank, serious expression on his face, and walked away. Esther sat in her confusion for a moment before getting up and faking a cheery expression.

"Sorry, Mei Rin," She said as she opened the door. She closed it and sat back down on the bed. "Anyway, I'm sure he likes you. A little case of far-sightedness shouldn't matter to him. Sebastian is a perfectly wonderful person, you know."

**A/N - I hope you enjoyed it! If you did, don't be afraid to review, sub, favorite, or whatever you'd like to do. I hope you all have a wonderful day!**


	5. His Maid, Avenged

**A/N – Hey everyone! First of all, I want to apologize for my absence. A lot has happened – classes have started back up, my trial of Word ran out on my new laptop, and I've had a bit of family drama. (I've also been binging Orange is the New Black, which is the worst excuse out of all of it.) I've been writing a lot of papers, though, and that's been burning me out on writing all together. I just want to say that even if I can't upload regularly during the school year, I'm still thinking of you guys! This story is so much fun to write, and I won't abandon it or you guys! So, enough of my ramblings, enjoy the story! **

"What do you want? Who are you? _Get away!_" There was no escape for the dying man. He backed anxiously against his headboard and tried his best to turn away. The breeze from the man's busted outbedroom window rustled curtains and papers around the room.

"Who am I?" Sebastian smirked, "you know who I am." He stepped up on the man's bed, looming over him. "I am the creak in the walls you say is nothing. I am the presence you feel watching when there's no one there. Most importantly…" Sebastian kneeled down before the man and grabbed his chin, "I'm one of the demons you've been worshipping the past few months." The man's eyes lit up with half fear, half excitement. "As I understand it, you made a deal with our leader, Lucifer. That can never be changed. You wanted your little lady to join you in afterlife, is that correct"

"Oh, my, yes!" the man sat up as much as he could and faced Sebastian. "I wanted her to face the wonderful afterlife Lord Satan has created for us all! I _needed_ her by my side in eternal Hell! She's my love, my everything! There was no way she would have made it. She would have gone…_up_." he responded in a way a child says a naughty word, quietly and hesitantly. "She's a kind soul, you see."

"I see." Sebastian stared into the man's eyes for a moment, realizing the disturbing lack of fear in his eyes. "The fact of the matter is, mister Jacobson, that you did indeed get your wish. Surely you realize a deal with the devil doesn't come without its price."

"What do you mean?" Carter Jacobson asked finally showing a flicker of fear. As he said this, Sebastian's skin began to sizzle, and his flesh began to twist and morph into the flesh of a truly terrifying creature. His glowing eyes were fixed on Carter's through the entire transformation.

"P-please! What are you doing?!

"It would seem that your lady, Lady Esther, has been caused a great deal of harm due to this deal of yours. The price was not paid by you. But it _will_ be." He smiled and flashed his sharp fangs. " I don't think you know what love is, mister Jacobson. Humans are pathetic and selfish. You don't even deserve the deepest, hottest cesspools of hell. You deserve _nothing_."

Sebastian grabbed Carter, and though desperate to escape, Carter's ill body was too weak to fight back.

As Sebastian lowered his mouth to Carter's chest, he gave one final warning.

"Oh, and by the way…this is going to hurt."

And then there was nothing.


	6. His Maid, Threatened

Sebastian threw open the windows of the laundry room and breathed in the fresh air. He and Esther had spent most of the morning doing the entire manor's laundry, Sebastian only taking breaks to tend to the Young Master.

"Sebastian?" Esther squeaked, holding up what appeared to be Bard's intimates, "Do you think…you could handle this one?" Sebastian walked over, took the underwear, and dropped it into the tub of hot water.

"Honestly, you're squeamish over a bit of men's undergarments?" He said this in an almost playful way that astonished Esther. Sebastian had been in a particularly giddy mood all morning despite the fact that their fingers were pruney, their clothes were wet, and their backs were sore from hovering over the wash tub. He had a small smile across his face as he scrubbed the underwear against the wash board. The usually prim and proper butler sat relaxed on a stool wearing nothing but his vest and undershirt. His sleeves were rolled up to prevent them from getting into the water.

"Sebastian, you're in an awfully good mood today," she said to him, smiling herself. She hadn't seen him smile often, but there was something unmistakably contagious about it.

"I quite like doing the laundry," he admitted, looking out the open window, "the view from this room is absolutely remarkable." She turned to see what was so remarkable. The window looked over a break in the forest surrounding the manor. She gazed at the wide open hillside, and took in the plentiful greenery and wildlife. Out in the distance, a lake shone brightly and cat tails swayed in the morning breeze.

"Wow, that's amazing, Sebastian!" She turned to look at him, "I didn't know you liked nature so much."

"Of course. Being down in Hell makes you truly appreciate the wonders they have here on Earth. And the breeze is something you long for down there." His smile grew a bit. "Do you mind hanging these?" he asked, handing her the underwear. She took them, agreeing politely, but was uncomfortable through the entire hanging process; all she could think of was Bard in his underwear.

Sebastian's good mood remained throughout the entire day. He served the Master dinner with a smile, beamed through every dish he cleaned afterward, and _genuinely_ wished Young Master a pleasant sleep when he put him to bed. When Sebastian walked down the servant's corridors pondering if he might even go to bed that night, he noticed Lady Esther standing by her and Mei Rin's door.

"My Lady, are you not going to bed tonight? Mei Rin might get suspicious if you aren't in there soon,"

"I was actually hoping to see you," she smiled, "I noticed you hardly ever go to bed, and I was wondering if I could maybe keep you company tonight so you aren't alone?"

Sebastian was surprised, but in a way, pleasantly so. "Well, I suppose that's fine, but I don't have much to do tonight."

"That's okay," Esther said, walking alongside him, "maybe we could just sit and chat or something."

"Chat?" Sebastian pondered. "That sounds lovely."

xxxxxx

The two sat in the living room on the main floor of the manor sprawled out on separate couches. "…but really, it tastes very good. I quite miss it." Esther explained when Sebastian had asked what cake _actually_ tasted like. "I think it's unfortunate that we can't truly be like humans in human form. I wouldn't mind eating chicken again. Or sweets."

"I've been in several forms, and while you pick up quite a few of the form's senses, taste is the one thing that always stays the same." Sebastian responded.

"You can be something besides a human?"

"Oh, yes. I was a master's dog once," Sebastian scowled, "but I've also been snakes, bugs, rabbits…I can't say I've been any aquatic creatures…but my favorite, by far, is being a bird." He looked up out the window into the sky. "The breeze is unbelievable. It's all around you. And you can see everything. The best part is it's as close to the heavens as I'll ever get."

"The heavens?" Esther inquired.

"Yes. As you've realized, no one likes it in Hell. No one. We all dream of going up there from time to time. You'd get to taste, feel, smell, and do all the pleasant things we miss out on every day."

Esther thought for a moment, amazed. This was something Esther never thought of before. As Esther began wondering what else she never knew about Sebastian, there was a knock on the door. As she stood to answer it, Sebastian pulled her back down on the couch. He looked the most serious he had all day.

"Stay here," he commanded firmly

"Sebastian, what is it? Surely I could handle anything behind that door."

He looked at her for a moment. "The last time someone came to the door this late, you came for the Master's soul." Esther looked at her lap with a wave of shame coming up from her stomach. "So, stay here." He walked cautiously to the door and opened it.

"Hello, welcome to Phantomhive Manor, how may I hel-" There was no one at the door. Just as he was about to close it, he smelled something. He walked outside, and closed the door behind him. As he did that a figure stepped out in front of him. The smell was coming from him, and he smelled of rotten flesh. He was a tall man, a bit taller than Sebastian. He was handsome with slicked back black hair and a well-made, black business suit. His eyes were a pitch, shiny black.

"What do you want?" Sebastian said with severity in his eyes.

The man chuckled, "What do I want?" The timbre of the man's voice was comforting, yet simultaneously unsettling. "You've wronged me, Sebastian." A warm breeze blew past Sebastian, unusual for the time of year. "Listen, man, I like you. I really do. You're one of my favorites. But this? This is hard to overlook." The man began to circle Sebastian, slowly and deliberately. Sebastian followed him carefully with his eyes, but retained a calm demeanor. He couldn't let the man sense any fear. The man stopped abruptly and sniffed the air. He turned quickly to the window. Esther was peeking, not so sneakily, out the window. She ducked quickly upon being seen. 'Dammit, Esther.' Sebastian thought.

The man looked at Sebastian and smirked. "Oh, my," He said, in a low voice, "That her?" Sebastian didn't reply, but instead remained motionless. "Tell me," he said, moving his mouth to Sebastian's ear, "…you fucked her yet?" The man chuckled and stood in front of Sebastian. Sebastian felt pure anger and hatred swelling inside him, yet all he could do, once again, was remain still and collected. "Well, listen buddy. That's why you did it, yes? Again, that's hard to ignore. That soul you ate the other night was mine, and no one steals from me. I don't know what your punishment will be yet, but I'll think of something." He looked over at Esther, who was now peeking out the window again, waved, and smiled. Sebastian noticed as the man noticed her, something seemed to have clicked in his head.

"I'll be seeing you soon, dear Sebastian," he turned to walk away, then turned back as he remembered something. "Oh yeah, and here, this is for the girl. I haven't met her yet. Be sure she knows who I am." He handed him what looked like a business card. As he walked away, he seemed to dissolve slowly into mist.

When Sebastian got inside, he made a beeline straight for the fireplace in the room he and Esther were sitting in and threw the card in. As he watched, he saw the corners and letters curl.

**Mr. Lucifer**

**Master of all demons**

In its final moments, the card began to shriek and scream as burning things often did, and then it was gone.

"Who was that, Sebastian?" Esther asked with curiosity. She noticed Sebastian exhibiting the most human behavior she had ever seen from him. He was shaking.

"No one. It's nothing. I think…I think I'm going to go to bed tonight. Goodnight, Lady Esther." Without so much as a glance back at her, Sebastian headed towards the servant's quarters. As she watched the light from his candle disappear into the darkness, she couldn't help but think, 'I guess his good mood is gone.'


	7. His Maid, Decorated

**A/N – Guys! Oh my word, I am **_**so **_**sorry! This has been written since a few days after I uploaded my last chapter, and I completely forgot to upload it! I started working on a few stories (that I haven't decided if I'm going to upload or not), and I guess I was distracted! D:**

**Anyway, there's no excuses! Sorry again. I hope this chapter is worth the wait. Enjoy!**

"Alright, how about a snake?"

A mouse.

"A snake."

A grasshopper.

"A…_snake_."

A goat.

"A _SNAKE!_"

Esther transformed back into a human and sat panting on the floor. "Sebastian, I _hear_ you…I just can't control what I'm turning into yet." She looked up at Sebastian, who stood with a hint of frustration on his face and was pondering what to do next. He and Esther had spent what little free time they had for the day working on useful skills as a demon, such as transformation. He had insisted it was one of the easier feats, but Esther wasn't so sure.

"Alright, let's try this. I'll transform with you so you can see it properly done. How about we try a large animal this time. A horse, maybe?"

"Yeah, okay," Esther looked at Sebastian, ready to transform. Black mist engulfed his body, and within seconds, there stood a noble black stallion. Esther concentrated on every aspect of being a majestic steed as well. The black mist surrounded her, but when it dispersed…nothing.

She groaned in frustration. "Sebastian, it still didn't work!"

Just as she'd expressed her dismay, Ciel rounded the corner into the room, and upon seeing Sebastian, shouted, "Will you two quit horsing around?"

Esther and Sebastian stared back at him in disbelief that he was in such good humor.

"Wha…_I didn't mean that_!" Ciel grumbled, "Anyway, Lizzy's ball is being held here tonight, and I trust the preparations are in progress?"

Sebastian transformed back to his human self and bowed, "Naturally, My Lord. Everything will be completed with your exact specifications."

"Excellent. I trust they will be." Ciel turned to leave, then turned back once more. "I really wasn't trying to joke around, you know. I'm serious." His eye twitched slightly in irritation.

"Of course, My Lord."

Once Ciel had left, Esther giggled to herself and smiled to Sebastian. Sebastian, much to her surprise, softly smiled back with amusement in his eyes.

"Well, I don't suppose you'll be mastering transformation today. Shall you get started on the décor, then, while I prepare the refreshments?"

"That I _can_ do," Esther replied, eager for a familiar task.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

There was a knock at the door of the manor, and at half past five, it was a bit too early for guests to be arriving. Slightly confused, Esther answered the door and curtsied.

"Welcome to Phantomhive Man- UGH!"

"Oh my! Another maid! How _cute_!" A young girl exclaimed excitedly as she nearly tackled Esther with her embrace. Esther assumed, with much evidence, that this was the infamous Lizzy.

"Oh, yes…Miss Lizzie. I'm Esther…Esther James…the new maid. Pleased to meet…you…" She said with what little breath she had. Lizzie finally let go.

"Well, you don't particularly look dressed for a ball, now do you?" Lizzy said, eyeing her uniform up and down. Humbled, Esther replied, "Oh, no, Miss Lizzie, I'm just a maid, so I'll most likely be in the back most of the time…"

"Stuff and nonsense! I nearly always dress Mei Rin and the boys up for these soirees!" Esther glanced back at the door frame and noticed the rest of the servants cowering away from Lizzie's game of dress up. "You're part of the family now! Come, I insist!" Lizzie grabbed her hand firmly and began dragging her up the stairs. In one final plea for help, Esther looked back at the servants, who were shrugging and waving her off.

Esther stood in Lizzie's room of the manor and watched as Lizzie pulled dress after dress out of her wardrobe, examining each, then tossing them to the floor.

"None of these would be particularly flattering colors on you…" Lizzie said, eyeing, then throwing, yet another garment.

"Then please, don't worry yourself-"

"Aha!" she proclaimed victoriously as she pulled out one final dress. It was a deep purple and seemed much too big to be in Lizzie's collection. "This one is one of Paula's dresses. Do you like it? Try it on!"

As Esther pulled it over her hips and over her arms, she found it fit nearly perfectly.

"Oh, I knew that'd look lovely! Don't you feel much better now that you're out of that grungy old maid uniform?"

"I suppose…" She answered, staring at herself in the mirror. She hadn't seen herself like that since she was alive. It was strange, and she didn't even seem to look like herself.

"I'll bet you'll find yourself a handsome gentleman looking like that," Lizzie said dreamily, "Oh! Almost forgot! If I can't get to everyone, I need to at least find Mei Rin! No man will see her lovely eyes if I can't get her to take those glasses off! Please, enjoy the dress. Paula won't mind!" Lizzie gave a small wave and headed off to find Mei Rin. Esther continued to glance at herself in the vanity mirror, turning around a few times. She pulled her hair up with her hand, then let it drop back down over her shoulders. She thought, for the first time since her death, that it would perhaps be an appropriate time for makeup. Eventually, she decided against it.

"What's the use?" She thought aloud, plopping down in the chair in front of the vanity. "I'm dead. I look dead, and I feel dead. All makeup would do is make me look slightly_ less_ dead," She stared intensely at her pale, colorless face, mourning herself and resenting her dead appearance.

"Well don't you look lovely?" Sebastian said, entering the room. Startled and slightly embarrassed, Esther whipped around to face him. "Pardon the intrusion, Miss Esther, but Lizzy said I could find you here. It's just about time for the guests to arrive."

"Oh…okay." Esther said, looking down at her feet.

"What's the matter?" Sebastian asked, walking over to her side and looking at her in the mirror.

"I feel…ugly. I don't know." Sebastian was slightly taken aback by her comment. He thought she was the loveliest demon he'd ever encountered, and there were certainly a lot of lookers in the demon world. He gently took her hand and pulled her up from her seat.

"Esther…I mean it. You're beautiful." He said, a soft smile on his face. Esther stared into his eyes for a moment. As he stared back, she felt a wave of affection rising from her stomach.

"We should go, my lady. We'll be tending to guests before we know it."

"Yes." She stood motionless and watched him head towards the door. He noticed, and turned to face her.

"Are you coming?"

"Yes." She repeated, shaking her head. As she headed out the door after him, she found it difficult to ignore the fluttering she felt in her stomach.

**A/N – Thanks for reading, guys! I figured after how heavy last two chapters were, it might be refreshing to have a light-hearted chapter. If you'd like, you can review, sub, favorite, or anything you feel like. I hope you all have a wonderful day!**


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